Top down: The indoor show was loaded with great exhibitors, including the Bellingham Yacht Sales’ inventory lineup, pictured above alongside Pursuit Boats to the left. Basta Boatlifts and Electric Paddle were two local companies that caught our eyes. Pictured below, Inventech Marine Solutions’ Lifeproof Boats were just too cool not to check out.
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with friendly and supportive staff on hand. Groups of brighteyed show goers crawling over decks and cramming themselves into engine rooms were common sights. On the gear side of things, we did see a few things that perked our interest. Basta Boatlifts: How exciting can a boat lift be? When you talk to Bellevue, Washington inventor Sam Basta, founder and president of Basta Boatlifts, you realize that excitement appears in some unlikely places. “These boat lifts are my life’s passion,” Basta says of his lifts, which involve several pending patents of his. “If you need a manual, it’s too complicated.” His lifts take the weld-free, assembleit-yourself approach that seem like a great idea, especially for the buyer who played with Legos as a kid. The catwalk attachment, one of many compatible accessories, also raises and lowers with the boat, something you don’t see very often for whatever reason. If interested, get more details at bastaboatlifts.com. Foldable Rigid Inflatable Boat, FRIB: Stowing a dinghy is always a challenge aboard, but fortunately there’s no shortage of clever solutions out there. UKbased Four Seas offers the first patented “FRIB,” the foldable rigid inflatable boat. These dinghies have been popular overseas for a reason, and we won’t be surprised if we see more of them in the Pacific Northwest as time goes on. You can learn more at fourseas.com. Life Proof Boats: These boats from Inventech Marine Solutions out of Bremerton, Washington are just too cool. Built like a hybrid sport fishing boat and U.S. Coast Guard border interceptor, these boats are built with foam/air stabilized buoyancy collar systems to take on open coastal conditions of the Pacific Northwest. Inventech Marine Solutions has filed five provisional patent applications, which speaks to their forwardfacing approach to boat building. More information is available at inventechmarine.com.
Electric Paddle: The Electric Paddle is a portable electric motor designed for canoes, kayaks, and dinghies under nine feet in length. Not only does the motor plus battery weigh a modest 16 pounds, but the motor easily folds into a sling that one can hoist over a shoulder. What’s more, the local company is based out of North Bend, Washington. Check out the details at electricpaddle.com. Jetsurf: We wrote about these jet-powered boards when we heard about them a few issues back, and it was great to see them in person. We’re still hoping to look out on Puget Sound and see one zipping past, maybe this summer? See them in action at jetsurf.com.
Industry Angle The bounty of fun stuff is great for attendees, but does the show result in actual boat and product sales for exhibitors? The answer seems to be a resounding yes from the industry. “We had a great show. The quality of the clients was excellent. People were there to buy a boat, not just dream about a boat,” says Emiko Kelly, Vice President of Operations of Alexander Marine and boat show veteran. She is not alone. “We were up over 20% over last year’s Seattle show, which was our best show ever. We did 40 shows last year from Dusseldorf to Seattle, and this was by far the best boat show anywhere we have ever had, period,” says Jeff Messmer of Ranger Tugs. “We couldn’t be more pleased. We wrote deals, saw a lot of good prospects, and saw a lot of people from out of town. It seems like Washington is on the map for out-oftown buyers,” says Dan Krier, Vice President of Marine Servicenter, a local dealer for Jeanneau, Lagoon, Island Packet, and Wellcraft boats. Sponsored social events made business mingling all the easier. What better way to kick back than with a glass of West Coast wine or a Pacific Northwest craft brew? Uncorked, the